17 key messages from #DataImpact2016 Glasgow

UK Data Service organised a #DataImpact event with key data innovators in Scotland who shared their knowledge and vision around data, the future of data and how data can and will impact our lives and our socio-economic and political environments in the future.

At UrbanTide we are all about data, specifically we are about open data, thus we were delighted to listen to and mingle with data and open data enthusiasts during the Data Impact event.

Measuring the impact of data is challenging; the definition of impact is demonstrable contribution to society and economy. Impact is multilayered with instrumental impact, conceptual impact, capacity building and skill development.

#1 Step up so that the re-use of data is built into the data collection process from the beginning.

#9 The data industry is still a cottage industry. Generally, highly skilled analysts spend 80% of their time gathering data. The data value chain needs to be industrialised and moved towards automation and standardisation with upstream processes improved.

Talented analysts spend far too much of their time munging data - more effort needs to be put into standardisation upstream #DataImpact2016

#10 Main challenges of data:

#11 Data is not the answer to everything.

#12 The data pyramid: big data at the bottom > big data analytics > impact of the data at the top >> these need to be linked up and issues need to be addressed.

#13 Trust in the use and reuse of data are difficult topics. It is difficult to define and it is multilayered with a system of laws, technological solutions etc. all playing a role. Trust is not just about ‘trust’.

#14 Data awareness in Scotland is high: 85% of people know they have a right to ask (according to a recent poll by the Office of Information Commissioner) and 70% say access to information gives them more confidence.

#17 Reuse of personal data is about ownership, control and most importantly consent, which gives confidence and builds trust by giving individuals the right to control their data simply by asking them to opt-in to certain data reuse processes when registering.